Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201924438 - Explosion Kills One Employee, Injures Six Others

Accident Summary Nr: 201924438 -- Report ID: 0626700 -- Event Date: 06/11/2008
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
311957187	06/11/2008	1799	238990	Performance Insulation Contractors, Inc.
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
311957161	06/11/2008	2822	325212	Goodyear Tire & Rubber Houston Chemical Plant
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
311957187	06/11/2008	1799	238990	Performance Insulation Contractors, Inc.
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
311957195	06/11/2008	7349	561790	Debusk Industrial Services Company (Disc)
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
311957179	06/11/2008	1629	237990	Qualitech Maintenance, Inc.

Abstract: At approximately 7:10 a.m. on June 11, 2008, Operators at the C2 unit (Plant 2) in C building were injecting 60-psi steam at a temperature of approximately 400-degrees Fahrenheit into a precooler, heat exchanger Model Number E300-G, to purge the process of the latex products. Latex was on the tube side and ammonia was on the shell side. The steam was injected into the tubes heating the ammonia on the shell side. The precooler over pressured, rupturing the shell, releasing ammonia into the environment. Employee #1 was found dead beneath the debris in the area of the heat exchanger several hours after the explosion occurred. Five contracted employees were severely exposed to ammonia. Employees #2, #3, #4, and # 6 were hospitalized. Employee #5 received first aid and was released.

Keywords: AMMONIA, EXPLOSION, CONCUSSION, OVEREXPOSURE

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Manufacturing plant		Maintenance or repair		$500,000 to $1,000,000	1	10	X

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	311957187	Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Temporary work (buildings, facilities) Fatality Cause: Asphyxiation/inhalation of toxic vapor
2	311957187	Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Temporary work (buildings, facilities) Fatality Cause: Asphyxiation/inhalation of toxic vapor
3	311957187	Non Hospitalized injury	Other	Construction laborers	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Temporary work (buildings, facilities) Fatality Cause: Asphyxiation/inhalation of toxic vapor
4	311957161	Fatality	Concussion	Supervisors, production occupations	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Fatality Cause:
5	311957187	Hospitalized injury	Other	Occupation not reported	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Temporary work (buildings, facilities) Fatality Cause: Asphyxiation/inhalation of toxic vapor
6	311957195	Hospitalized injury	Other	Construction laborers	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Temporary work (buildings, facilities) Fatality Cause: Asphyxiation/inhalation of toxic vapor
7	311957179	Hospitalized injury	Other	Janitors and cleaners	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Temporary work (buildings, facilities) Fatality Cause: Asphyxiation/inhalation of toxic vapor

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